Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The New Tim?

Tim Lincecum, with a studly assist from Jeremy Affeldt, pitched the Giants out of their five game funk and BACK INTO FIRST PLACE, with a lovely 4-1 pasting of the Mets. Any 2012 Lincecum quality outing is worth singing about from the mountaintops and I would love to give it a big yodel... but an exhausting day has taken it's toll on me. Admit it, waiting for a Tim start can be a little nerve-racking lately.

Without a vibrant fastball, Lincecum kept the Mets ( a weak lineup if you don't count Super-Hairston ) off balance with his usual slider-change-curve shit (game score 67). This version of Tim needs good defense ( did I mention how good-looking Brandon Crawford is ? Umm, I mean as a ballplayer. ) and a fair modicum of luck. He got both tonight. Plus, there was just enough of the Freak ... like when he schooled the super talented David Wright for his last out. I love when he does that.

The good: Marco Scutaro and Hunter Pence in the lineup everyday will be quite an improvement. I really like what I have seen from Scutaro so far. I would not be surprised if they end up with better numbers than their evil dogger counterparts (Hanley Ramirez and Shane Victorino) from here on out. In fact, that could end up being a key factor in the race; how the FNG's do.

The bad: Brandon Belt is really starting to make me sad. Literally depressed. Not for long because...

I liked how Tim got outs with ground balls, esp. early, then relied more on the K late. The curve ball to Wright was a thing of beauty, it's like he saved it for just such a moment.

Huge effort by Affeldt. Huge. The way the 'pen has looked the Giants really needed that.

I was hoping the team would add some RH power, Pence has 5 HR in 76 AB at AT&T Park. Not quite Scott Hairston, but I'll take it!! Pence showed up last night right as the game ended and the cameras followed him all the way to the clubhouse. Got interviewed by AmyG as well. Should be sporting #8 tonight behind #18. Seems like a good fit for us, I hope he's hot right away.

They asked him about his success hitting at AT&T and why he thought he did well in the park and he said he "didn't know" and that "sometimes you can't explain the randomness of baseball" but that he "hope it continues."

Wow, an actual ballplayer used "randomness" in reference to hitting. I though it was just nerds and saberistas who did that!

Personally, I've always been a big fan of another of today's DFA'd guys - Bobby Abreu. He still gets on base a lot, has some speed despite his age, & can hit with some power. We need a reliable pinch hitter with some power. A veteran like Abreu would be much more dependable down the stretch than Christian or Pill. Plus, it would be nice to snap him up from LA, then have him come back to get some big hits against them.

A relief pitcher is a higher priority, but this is a minimal cost option for some bench help.

I've always like Abreu, too. But I don't know, they are going to want someone who can play the field, and I'm not sure you can stick Abreu out there in a tight spot any more. Cabrera, Blanco, Pence, Pagan, they all can move and cover ground. I think they might stick with Christian for the same reason. I thought the Dodgers might DFA Uribe instead but being a middle infielder may have saved his job.